Winter is Winter, as it turns out

Yes, we had a lovely reprieve in December and early January, as temperatures soared in the high 30s and the snow stayed away.

Yes, I know we need snow and ice and cold and even disgusting gray slush to maintain the natural order.

And yet...well, this picture from January 2011 still best expresses my feelings towards the Midwest winter.

(I'm not sure which expression I love more - Cora's SnowZombie face, or Trout's apparent protest to having to wear a headband.)

Oh, 2009, you funny funny year

Our first measurable snowfall came this year on October 12th - the earliest in my (gulp) 17 years in MN. Luckily, the snow had one fan. Cora was very anxious to get outside and play in it before it melted (a light dusting the previous Saturday had vanished by the time she got dressed). She dug out the snowball maker she found on the porch about three months ago and we headed out onto the deck. I think it was only about 45 seconds until she began throwing the snowballs at my legs.

An obscenely early snowfall is easier to take when you have a delighted and enthusiastic girl by your side.

Photo essay: Thanksgiving to now

So, these photos aren't really in the right order, but it is kind of a pain in Blogger to move them around - so we'll just deal with it! This is an up close shot of the sweater I made for Cora - it matches the new hat you'll see below. She's getting this for Christmas, and I am excited, because I just knit a freaking SWEATER!!

The whole thing - not as psychedelic in person. I promise.

Today Cora and Chris went out in the snow storm and she made me this heart with her footprints. This is something I did for her when we were up north last weekend. Then, she had me make one for Rudolph, and she made a snow angel in the middle of that one.

She tells us she likes being cold. I am inclined to believe her.

Up at the North Shore, contemplating Lake Superior.

Tracking Rudolph last weekend.

Enjoying a rice cake snack in the cabin.

The new hat - she got this one early because she doesn't have many hats that fit her this year.

She was sick at the end of November, and Daddy brought her home some get-well flowers.

Our post-Thanksgiving snowfall. Admittedly, it looks pretty pathetic by today's 6-8" standards, but it was fun at the time.

Out like a (snowy) lion

Last nights the weather reports were full of dire predictions of 7-9 inches of snow due to fall today between 7am and 7pm. I'm not sure how much we will really get - I think it is warmer than anticipated and perhaps not quite so much snow, but we have probably made it to at least three or four inches by now, and the flakes are still falling.

Our usual Monday morning playgroup at church didn't meet this morning, so Cora and I were free to enjoy the snow from within our snug little house. And, we got to watch Sesame Street, something we usually only can do on Fridays. Can you believe it - on Sesame Street this morning, there was NO Elmo's World segment! What is the world coming to?!

After that, we played the blanket game, a current favorite, which involves Cora sitting in a chair and shouting "Blanket!" and I put one on her, she shouts it again, I put another one on her, and so on. We have quite a collection of blankets down here now.

Then there was jumping practice (She's starting to actually get both feet off the ground at the same time) and dancing to our new Father Goose CD and snacktime, and then (bliss!) sitting and reading to ourselves! Cora read her books to her babies and I was able to sit and read my new Brain, Child magazine for a whole 15 minutes. Then up to naptime, for her, while I had lunch, read some more, cleaned up the kitchen and the blankets, and decided to spend some quality time with my personal friend, the Internet.

Our big plans for the afternoon? Walking in the snow and trying on all of Cora's accumulated sweaters and sweatshirts and raincoats and jackets to see which ones actually fit and which need to move on to new homes. Maybe we will bake some cookies. Maybe we will watch a little WonderPets. Maybe we will play with blankets some more.

That second snowstorm

It was indeed bigger than the first - we ended up with about 20" of snow in slightly less than 48 hours. That's a lot of shoveling!

The photo on the right shows our lilac tree and a little bit of fence. In the photo on the left Mr. Bear demonstrates the correct response to a Major Snow Event...watch the frenzied weather coverage!